5 Getting Started with Oracle Database

This chapter provides information about the default preconfigured database, including information about Oracle database accounts, passwords, and file locations. It includes information about the following topics:

Click Installed Products to display the Inventory dialog box on the Welcome screen.

Select the Oracle Database product from the list to check the installed contents.

Click Details to find additional information about an installed product.

Click the Environment tab to check the directory location of the installed contents.

Click Close to close the Inventory dialog box.

Click Cancel to close Oracle Universal Installer, and then click Yes to confirm.

5.2 Logging In to Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control

If you configured Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control during the installation, you can use it to manage your database. Alternatively, you can use Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control to manage your database. To display the Database Control:

Use a Web browser to access the Database Control URL:

http://host:port/em

In this example:

host is the name of the computer on which you installed Oracle Database

port is the port number reserved for the Database Control during installation

If you do not know the correct port number to use, look for the following line in the $ORACLE_HOME/install/portlist.ini file:

Enterprise Manager Console HTTP Port (db_name) = 1158

The installation reserves the first available port from the range 5500 to 5519. For example, if you installed Oracle Database on host mgmt42, and the Database Control uses port 1158, use the following URL:

http://mgmt42:1158/em

Oracle Enterprise Manager displays the Database Control login page.

Log in to the database using the user name SYS and connect as SYSDBA.

Use the password that you specified for the SYS account during the installation.

Note:

You can also log in to the Database Control using the SYSTEM or SYSMAN accounts or you can grant login privileges to other database users.

Understanding Database Control Login Privileges

When you log in to the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control using the SYSMAN user account, you are logging in as the Oracle Enterprise Manager super user. The SYSMAN account is automatically granted the roles and privileges required to access all the management features provided by the Database Control.

You can also use the SYS and SYSTEM accounts to log in to the Database Control. In addition, you can grant login privileges to other database users, as follows:

5.3.1 Starting and Stopping Automatic Storage Management

5.3.2 Automatic Storage Management Utilities

To manage Automatic Storage Management, you can use the following tools:

asmcmd: This command-line tool enables you to manage Automatic Storage Management disk group files and directories.

Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control: If you have Oracle Enterprise Manager installed, you can use Grid Control to manage Automatic Storage Management functions, such as migrating an existing database to Automatic Storage Management, checking the status of the Automatic Storage Management instance, checking the performance of the Automatic Storage Management disk groups, and creating or dropping Automatic Storage Management disk groups.

Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control: This utility enables you to perform functions similar to Grid Control.

SQL*Plus andiSQL*Plus: You can run commands that are specific to Automatic Storage Management from either of these tools. To connect to an Automatic Storage Management instance, use the same methods that you use to connect to an Oracle database instance.

5.4 Reviewing Accounts and Passwords

All databases created by the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) include the SYS, SYSTEM, SYSMAN, and DBSNMP database accounts. In addition, Oracle provides several other administrative accounts. Before using these other accounts, you must unlock them and reset their passwords. Table 5-1 describes these accounts, listing their user names and default passwords.

The account that owns the Order Entry schema included in the Oracle Sample Schemas. It is available only if you loaded the Sample Schemas.

Oracle Database Sample Schemas

OLAPSYS

MANAGER

The account that owns the OLAP catalogs.

Oracle OLAP Application Developer's Guide

ORDPLUGINS

ORDPLUGINS

The Oracle interMedia user. Plugins supplied by Oracle and third-party plugins are installed in this schema.

Oracle interMedia Reference

ORDSYS

ORDSYS

The Oracle interMedia administrator account.

Oracle interMedia Reference

OUTLN

OUTLN

The account that supports plan stability. Plan stability enables you to maintain the same execution plans for the same SQL statements. OUTLN acts as a role to centrally manage metadata associated with stored outlines.

Oracle Database Concepts

PM

PM

The account that owns the Product Media schema included in the Oracle Sample Schemas. It is available only if you loaded the Sample Schemas.

Oracle Database Sample Schemas

SCOTT

TIGER

An account used by Oracle sample programs and examples.

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

SH

SH

The account that owns the Sales History schema included in the Oracle Sample Schemas. It is available only if you loaded the Sample Schemas during an Enterprise Edition installation.

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

SI_INFORMTN_SCHEMA

SI_INFORMTN_SCHEMA

The account that stores the information views for the SQL/MM Still Image Standard.

Oracle interMedia Reference

SYS

Password set during installation or in the Database Configuration Assistant

The account used to perform database administration tasks.

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

SYSMAN

Password set during installation or in the Database Configuration Assistant

The account used to perform Oracle Enterprise Manager database administration tasks.It is created only if you configure the database to use the Database Control.

Password set during installation or in the Database Configuration Assistant

Another account used to perform database administration tasks.

Oracle Database Administrator's Guide

WMSYS

WMSYS

The account used to store the metadata information for Oracle Workspace Manager.

Oracle Database Application Developer's Guide - Workspace Manager

WKPROXY

WKSYS

The Ultra Search proxy user.

Oracle Ultra Search User's Guide

WK_TEST

WK_TEST

The default Ultra Search instance schema.

Oracle Ultra Search User's Guide

WKSYS

WKSYS

The account used to store Ultra Search system dictionaries and PL/SQL packages.

Oracle Ultra Search User's Guide

XDB

XDB

The account used for storing Oracle XML DB data and metadata.

Oracle XML DB Developer's Guide

5.5 Unlocking and Resetting User Passwords

Passwords for all Oracle system administration accounts except SYS, SYSTEM, SYSMAN, and DBSMP are revoked after installation. Before you use a locked account, you must unlock it and reset its password. If you created a preconfigured database during the installation, but you did not unlock a required account, you must unlock it now, using one of the following methods:

If you are creating a database using Database Configuration Assistant, you can unlock accounts after the database is created by clicking Password Management before you exit from Database Configuration Assistant.

5.6 Identifying Databases

The Oracle Database 10g software identifies a database by its global database name. A global database name consists of the database name and database domain. Usually, the database domain is the same as the network domain, but it need not be. The global database name uniquely distinguishes a database from any other database in the same network. You specify the global database name when you create a database during the installation, or using the Database Configuration Assistant. For example:

sales.us.oracle.com

In this example:

sales is the name of the database. The database name portion is a string of no more than 30 characters that can contain alphanumeric, underscore (_), dollar ($), and pound (#) characters. The DB_NAME initialization parameter specifies the database name.

us.oracle.com is the database domain in which the database is located. In this example, the database domain is the same as the network domain. Together, the database name and the database domain make the global database name unique. The domain portion is a string of no more than 128 characters that can contain alphanumeric, underscore (_), and pound (#) characters. The DB_DOMAIN initialization parameter specifies the database domain name.

The DB_NAME parameter and the DB_DOMAIN name parameter combine to create the global database name value assigned to the SERVICE_NAMES parameter in the initialization parameter file.

The System Identifier (SID) identifies a specific database instance. The SID uniquely distinguishes the instance from any other instance on the same computer. Each database instance requires a unique SID and database name. In most cases, the SID is the same as the database name portion of the global database name.

5.7 Locating the Server Parameter File

By default, the preconfigured database uses a server parameter file named spfilesid.ora, which is stored in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory. However, if you choose Automatic Storage Management or raw device storage for the database, Database Configuration Assistant typically uses the same storage mechanism for the server parameter file.

If the server parameter file is not located in the $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory, the database uses the SPFILE parameter in an initialization parameter file to locate it. The default initialization parameter file is$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/initsid.ora.

You can use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control to view the location of the server parameter file and list all of the initialization parameters, as follows:

5.8.1 Identifying Tablespaces and Data Files

An Oracle database is divided into smaller logical areas of space known as tablespaces. Each tablespace corresponds to one or more physical data files. Data files contain the contents of logical database structures such as tables and indexes. You can associate each data file with only one tablespace and database.

Note:

The SYSAUX and SYSTEM tablespaces must be present in all Oracle Database 10g databases.

Serves as an auxiliary tablespace to the SYSTEM tablespace. Some products and options that previously used the SYSTEM tablespace now use the SYSAUX tablespace, which reduces the load on the SYSTEM tablespace.

SYSTEM

Stores the data dictionary, which includes definitions of tables, views, and stored procedures needed by Oracle Database.

TEMP

Stores temporary tables and indexes when processing SQL statements.

UNDOTBS1

Stores undo information.

USERS

Stores database objects created by database users.

See Also:

Oracle Database Concepts and the Oracle Database Administrator's Guide for more information about tablespaces and data files

To use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control to view the list of data files used by the database and their associated tablespaces:

Enterprise Manager displays a table listing each data file, and the tablespace with which it is associated.

See Also:

For more information about using the Database Control to view, modify, and create tablespaces, click Help in the Database Control window.

5.8.2 Locating Redo Log Files

The preconfigured database uses three redo log files. Redo log files record all changes made to data in the database buffer cache. If an instance fails, then Oracle Database 10g uses the redo log files to recover the modified data in memory.

Oracle Database uses redo log files in a cyclical fashion. For example, if three files constitute the online redo log, Oracle Database fills the first file, then the second file, and then the third file. In the next cycle, it reuses and fills the first file, the second file, and so on.

See Also:

Oracle Database Backup and Recovery Basics for more information about redo log files

To use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control to view or modify the redo log files for your preconfigured database:

In the Storage section of the Administration page, click Redo Log Groups.

Enterprise Manager displays a table listing the redo log groups used by the database.

To view the name and location of the redo log file associated with a particular group, select that group then click View.

See Also:

For more information about using the Database Control to view, modify, and create redo log files, click Help in the Database Control window

5.8.3 Locating Control Files

The preconfigured database uses three control files. Oracle recommends that you keep at least three control files for each database and set the CONTROL_FILES initialization parameter to specify the location of each file.

A control file is an administrative file. Oracle Database 10g requires a control file to start and run the database. The control file defines the physical structure of the database. For example, it defines the database name and the names and locations of the database data files and redo log files.

To use the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control to view information about the control files for your preconfigured database: